The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s touch-free fare gate pilot cut fare evasion by an average of 35 percent at 20 New York City subway stations. Three qualified vendors are now bidding to install the gates at 20 more stations across four boroughs, and installation is scheduled to begin by the end of 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Hoyt St and Nostrand Av each recorded a 72 percent drop in fare evasion, while 3 Av-138 St fell 65 percent.
- The pilot gates logged about 29 million entries and 34 million exits, and 40 to 50 percent of typical daily riders used them at least once.
- Cubic, STraffic and Conduent are qualified to bid on the first phase, with bids due in October 2026.
- The $1.1 billion program in the MTA’s 2025-2029 Capital Plan covers fare control areas at 150 stations serving nearly three quarters of daily riders.
- The pilot and the first two phases together will bring modern fare gates to 70 stations, with a 30-station second phase under construction by the end of 2027.
- This is the first full overhaul of subway fare arrays since tri-wheel turnstiles were installed in the early 1990s.
MTA Pilot Data Shows Where the New Gates Changed Rider Behavior
The MTA released the pilot results on October 7, and the 35 percent figure is an average, so it hides a wide spread. The strongest results came from Hoyt St in Downtown Brooklyn and Nostrand Av on the A and C lines, both at 72 percent. In the Bronx, 3 Av-138 St in Mott Haven came in at 65 percent. Because those stations sit well above the average, others in the pilot must have moved less, and that gap will matter as the MTA decides where the hardware pays off fastest.
The scale of the test also matters. With roughly 29 million entries and 34 million exits recorded, the gates have handled real rush-hour volume, not just demonstration traffic. Exits outnumbered entries by about 5 million, which shows the gates manage flow in both directions, a practical concern at crowded transfer points.
The MTA Scored the Gates on Seven Measures Beyond Fare Evasion
The MTA’s evaluation, which began last fall, did not stop at fare evasion. The agency graded each design on fare evasion, accessibility, customer experience, entry and exit throughput, maintenance, integration, and data and detection accuracy. A gate that blocks fare evaders but slows the morning crowd, or breaks down often, would fail the subway even if it stopped every evader.
Engineers changed the technology during the pilot based on performance and rider feedback, and those findings shaped the final designs. MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said the pilot phase “allowed us to customize designs to fit our system.”
Three Vendors Compete for the MTA’s First Production Contract
The MTA started the procurement in December 2023 with a request for information seeking firms that could meet its technical requirements. Three vendors moved on to the pilot and supplied gates at 20 stations at no cost to the MTA, effectively auditioning live in the subway. Some stations got a fully replaced fare array, while others received only a new wide-aisle access gate.
Cubic, STraffic and Conduent are now qualified to compete for the first production phase, with bids due this month as the MTA moves to buy gates for the next 20 stations. The fare gate push is one of several technology procurements underway at the agency, alongside its effort to find an AI system that detects people and debris on subway tracks.
Accessibility Shapes the New Fare Array Design
The MTA’s existing turnstiles date back to the token era and were never built for riders using wheelchairs, pushing strollers or carrying luggage. To fill that gap, the agency added emergency exit gates with wider clearance. Over time those gates became a common route for fare evasion. Interim fixes such as replacing key locks, posting gate guards and adding delayed egress helped, but they did not replace the underlying hardware.
Quemuel Arroyo, the MTA’s Chief Accessibility Officer, who uses a mobility device, described the change this way: “Station accessibility goes far beyond elevators.” NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow tied the program to the agency’s finances, saying “better fare compliance helps secure more of the revenue we rely on” for service.
Next 20 Stations Span Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens
The MTA’s first phase reaches some of the system’s heaviest-traffic hubs. In Manhattan, the list includes 14 St-Union Sq, 72 St, 86 St, 125 St, Chambers St and Spring St. Brooklyn will get gates at Coney Island-Stillwell Av, Hoyt-Schermerhorn, Bedford Av, Myrtle Av, 36 St and Newkirk Plaza. In the Bronx, the list covers 161 St-Yankee Stadium, Fordham Rd, Parkchester and 3 Av-149 St. In Queens, it includes Flushing-Main St, Forest Hills-71 Av, Astoria Blvd and Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport.
Flushing-Main St appears on both the pilot list and the next-phase list. The new phase installs gates across every entrance, which suggests some pilot stations received only partial installations. Early station preparation work is scheduled to begin in October 2026.
MTA Rollout Targets 150 Stations Through 2027 and Beyond
The MTA’s $1.1 billion program aims to modernize fare control at 150 stations that together serve nearly three quarters of daily subway riders. After this 20-station phase, a second phase of 30 stations is expected to be under construction by the end of 2027, bringing the total to 70 stations with the pilot included. MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber called the early returns “pretty impressive” and pointed to the full 150-station target.
Three things will show whether the program holds up as it scales: which vendors win the bids, how quickly installation moves through busy stations, and whether the 35 percent average holds across different station layouts.
FAQs
Which subway stations are getting the new MTA fare gates next?
The next 20 stations include 14 St-Union Sq, Coney Island-Stillwell Av, 161 St-Yankee Stadium, Flushing-Main St and Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport. Together they span Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens.
How much did the new fare gates reduce fare evasion?
Fare evasion fell an average of 35 percent across the 20 pilot stations. Hoyt St and Nostrand Av each recorded 72 percent declines.
When will the new subway fare gates be installed?
Station preparation work begins in October 2026, and gate installation is set to start by the end of 2026. The rollout continues into 2027.
Do the new fare gates work for wheelchair users and strollers?
Yes. The touch-free gates include wider aisles designed for riders using mobility devices, strollers or luggage, replacing the turnstiles that were never built for them.
How many subway stations will get modern fare gates?
The full program covers 150 stations under the MTA’s 2025-2029 Capital Plan. Seventy of those stations are covered by the pilot and the first two phases.
